Liam Squire left hungry for more following first game of rugby in 12 months
It was February 15 2020 when Liam Squire last ran onto a pitch to play a game of professional rugby. Now, a little over a year later, the rugged loose forward has finally made a return to action – for the Super Rugby franchise he had so much success with over a four-year career.
Squire, who will compete with the likes of Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Shannon Frizell and Kazuki Himeno for minutes this season, made his return in the 64th minute of the Highlanders’ loss to the Crusaders.
Despite having less than a quarter of a game to remind New Zealand what he can bring to the table, Squire managed 23 carry-metres off just two runs. He also put in a few solid hits, including one on former All Blacks teammate Sam Whitelock.
Unsurprisingly, Squire was left huffing and puffing after the game, given its intensity.
“The lungs definitely felt it,” Squire said following the match.
“You can do all running in the world at training but it’s that match fitness that you need. It’s a good step in the right direction for me, but obviously disappointed with the result.”
Having undergone some significant surgery last year to get his body back into tip-top shape, some small niggles hampered Squire’s pre-season. While he was fit and could have run out onto the park in the Highlanders’ warm-up matches with the Crusaders and Hurricanes, he and coach Tony Brown decided to hold off for the fixtures that count.
“Browny has a good plan in place that we’re going to follow,” Squire said. “If I get selected next week it’ll be something like [40 minutes]. I trust in his plan.
“I didn’t get too much of a chance in pre-season [to get physical], and you don’t want to do it to your mates in training. It’s good to finally get a bit of that contact but I’ll take a few lessons out of that 20 minutes.”
Frizell will also likely be on managed minutes, given his workload with the All Blacks last year.
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Finn Morton rates the Highlanders.#SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/YZPWCIUFa5— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 26, 2021
Thankfully, with Mikaele-Tu’u in devastating form on Friday night and Japan international Himeno also now available for selection, Brown won’t exactly be short of options.
Teariki Ben-Nicholas, who was solid in a Highlanders’ development hit-out over the weekend, is another option at either No 6 or No 8 while James Lentjes and former Crusader Billy Harmon will fight over the openside flanker position.
Although the night didn’t end the way that Squire and his teammates had hoped for, with the Crusaders ultimately triumphing 26-13, they have an immediate opportunity to bounce back this weekend against Squire’s former team, the Chiefs.
The Chiefs had a bye in the opening round of the competition but suffered eight successive losses last year to finish bottom of the Super Rugby Aotearoa ladder.
That’s not to say they will be easy-beats, but last season’s results suggest that they won’t be as tough a challenge as the champion Crusaders.
Whether Squire gets 5 minutes, 16 minutes or a full half of rugby next Friday in Hamilton, expect the big man to put in a big shift.
The Highlanders’ game against the Chiefs – and all other matches of Super Rugby Aotearoa for 2021 – will be available live and on demand on RugbyPass for subscribers who hold a tournament pass.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments